The music wafting through the air is decidedly more Woodstock than Hank Williams. And the sound system is infinitely superior to what it once was. And the washrooms are family friendly. And the tablecloths are new. So are the multiple dartboards.

Yup, there’s new life at N.D.G’s Wheel Club. Okay, it’s still more ramshackle basement-like than Architectural Digest-ready, but the club has certainly risen from near-ashes.

Rob Scott and Clifford Schwartz, new managers of the Wheel Club, play a little pool at the venue in N.D.G. on Tuesday May 14, 2019. After teetering on the edge, the Wheel Club is back with new management and new sound system and new clients and patrons.Dave Sidaway /
Montreal Gazette

Rob Scott and Clifford Schwartz, two local musicians, along with Kevin Patterson, had agreed to keep it operating for at least two months. But they have since received so much support from the community that they decided to make this a long-term commitment and have invested in everything from the sound system to the loos.

While still home to the famed Hillbilly Nights on Mondays, the club has diversified its music. In addition to the Patsy Cline crooners, there are now soirées devoted to the reggae of Bob Marley. And there’s funk as well as folk. And the club still serves as a second home for veteran rocker and musicologist Craig Morrison, presently leading his Momentz band members in a tribute to the Woodstock, Monterey Pop and Newport Folk fests, in advance of their weekend gigs at Oscar Peterson Hall.

Craig Morrison (Craig Morrison and the Momentz) on guitar at the Wheel Club in Montreal on Tuesday May 14, 2019.Dave Sidaway /
Montreal Gazette

With the warblings of Scott McKenzie’s iconic San Francisco in the background, Scott, Schwartz and Patterson almost feel inclined to affix some flowers to their hair.

“We’ve come back from the abyss,” Scott says. “There’s work to be done, but we’re on our way.”

“What’s really wild is the range of music being played,” Schwartz says. “On one night, it’s reggae; on another it’s Celtic or R&B or bluegrass.”

The managers see themselves more as Wheel Club custodians.

“We want to inject many new things to the place, yet it’s so important for us also to preserve its old life,” Schwartz notes. “The Wheel Club has such a special place in our local history and has played such a pivotal role in the community.”

“It’s not only one of the few places for music in N.D.G., but it’s also such a warm place to socialize for all generations,” Patterson says. “The heritage we have from Hillbilly Night has served as a foundation, and we’re now attracting so much more interest.”

The club is also reaching out to the kids in the community, encouraging them to play by giving out instruments and an opportunity to partake in a monthly jam session.

“We have open jams for all the community, and we invite musicians of all levels to come and play, no matter what level they’re at or what style of music they prefer,” says Scott, who, with Schwartz, is part of the B#Sharp Bandits rock ensemble.

“Many people still think we’re only a country bar, but we’re more than that. We see the Wheel Club as the bridge, to make sure all the community’s music is passed on to the next generation,” adds Schwartz, formerly a Cirque du Soleil musician.

Morrison has been a Wheel Club stalwart for years, playing Hillbilly Nights as well as regular monthly gigs with another of his groups, Vintage Wine. “The fear of losing this place was so devastating for us,” he says.

In terms of preserving the club’s history, ex-boss Hearn has been so enthused with the “rebirth” of the club that, while he has stepped down as manager, he remains as bartender, tale-spinner and amateur shrink.

“I was feeling so down when it looked like we might have to close, but now I’m feeling really positive,” Hearn says. “Without these new managers, it would have been the end of the line. Now the place has been spruced up, and even I’m looking a little more spruced up.”

“The Wheel Club is like a diamond in the rough,” Patterson succinctly puts it. “It just needs to be polished off a little for it to really shine.”

Pipes in Morrison: “But the circle remains unbroken. Mercifully.”

At A Glance: Craig Morrison‘s 22nd Roots of Rock and Roll Concert, a tribute to the Woodstock, Monterey Pop and Newport Folk festivals, Friday at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., at the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W. Tickets: momentzrock@gmail.com